Esteemed actor Helen Mirren is not accustomed to being the center of controversy. But she knew that criticism of her decision to play the plum role of world leader Golda Meir, the founding first and only woman leader of Israel’s history, was certain to invite controversy. Mirren is not Jewish and she has called the criticism of her being tapped by Oscar winner Guy Nattiv to play the lead in ‘Golda’ as “utterly legitimate”.

The film is in theaters and online now, released on August 25 and with a modest box office of $4.4 worldwide.

DuJour Magazine’s Fall 2023 cover focus on Helen Mirren is styled by Oliver Volquardsen, who dressed the actor in a Dolce & Gabbana coat on the cover, accented with Bulgari diamond earrings.

Other ensembles include a Jean Paul Gaultier vinrage suit worm with Chopard diamond earrings and ring; an Erdem black coat; a vintage silvery leather coat; vintage Zandra Rhodes sweater with David Morris jewelry; a red Ermanno Scervino coat; a Dior purple and crimson coat, blouse and skirt; and a Robert Wun coat. See all the product details and the entire DuJour interview ‘Helen Mirren’s Prime Time.’

Nick Thompson [IG] photographed Helen Mirren for an interview by Marshall Heyman. The extensive use of vintage clothes in the fashion story is close to Helen Mirren’s heart.

Closely aligned with Dolce & Gabbana for years, Mirren wore the same dress three times over a three-year period from 2015-2015. The actor also offers her own clothes up for rental on ‘By Rotation’.

“The way we as a society consume fashion has become unsustainable,” she explained to another magazine in early 2023. “With the rise in fast fashion and judgement about rewearing outfits, even off the red carpet, clothing has become almost as throwaway as single-use plastics. Waste creation is a danger for us and animals on land, and for the fish in the sea.”

Returning to the movie ‘Golda’, its focus is the 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in October 1973.

Nattiv says the idea to cast Mirren as Meir originated with the late politician’s grandson Gideon Meir, a harpsichordist and organist. “And it’s a brilliant idea,” Nattiv says. “Helen has the perfect combination of an authoritative, commanding figure but also this huge well of emotion and humanness. I’d live in any country that chose Helen as their prime minister.”

During these tumultuous times for Israel as a democratic country, the Palestinian crisis which cannot be separated from Israeli identity, and the reassertion of anti-semitism worldwide, it’s actually multiple grandchildren of Golda Meir who refuse to accept criticism of their decision to back Mirren.

They say the actor has surpassed all hopes they had for her bringing Golda Meir to life in ways they cannot fully process or comprehend. ~ Anne